{"id":14965,"date":"2024-09-06T14:27:40","date_gmt":"2024-09-06T14:27:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/?p=14965"},"modified":"2025-05-01T10:13:27","modified_gmt":"2025-05-01T10:13:27","slug":"what-is-a-barndominium","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/2024\/09\/what-is-a-barndominium\/","title":{"rendered":"What is a Barndominium?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sometimes you can find a deal on eBay where someone has bought a house kit and then their plans changed. Right now there is a 2400 square foot Barndominium kit that will probably be a good deal for someone.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Barndominium Components from Steel Commander Corp<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The kit is sitting on a lot in Punta Gorda, Florida, waiting to be built.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Barndominium built from a kit from Steel Commander Corp<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Barndominium kit is from Steel Commander Corp. It will build a house kinda like this.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Barndominium Plan from Steel Commander Corp<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This is the downstairs floor plan. Look at all of that closet space!
\nYou could follow the included plans and instructions or build anything you want with the materials.<\/p>\n

Barndominium Brand New Still In Original Shipping Containers<\/strong> on eBay<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"
Barndominium built from a kit from Steel Commander Corp<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Barndominiums have metal walls, but they don\u2019t have to look like a warehouse. This is an example from Steel Commander Corp\u2019s website. Adding a lot of windows and the stone make it look like a rather modern residential home.<\/p>\n

You can see more photos from people who have built Steel Commander Corp\u2019s kits on their site: Steel Commander Corp\u2019s Customer Photos<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"
ADU Barndominium from a kit from NuEcoSystems<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

NuEcoSystems also sells Barndominium kits on eBay.<\/p>\n

NuEcoSystems Barndominium Kits<\/strong> on eBay<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"
Tiny House built with a Barndominium Kit from NuEcoSystems<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

They are available in a lot of different sizes and styles.<\/p>\n

<\/ins><\/p>\n

\"\"
House built using a NuEcoSystems Barndominium House Kit<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Houses built from these kits can look rather traditional. And you can build them bigger, because by the square foot, they cost less to build.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Interior of a Barndominium from NuEcoSystems<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

What is a Barndominium?<\/h2>\n

When people say Barndominium now, they usually mean turning a barn into a house. Usually turning a metal-sided barn-type building into a residential home.<\/p>\n

Converting a barn into housing isn\u2019t new. Building an apartment into part of a barn isn\u2019t new. What is new is the popularity of turning a metal building into a house, usually to save money. Sometimes people start with an existing metal building.<\/p>\n

\"\"
NuEcoSystems Barndominium Construction<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

More often people build a new house combining the cost-saving materials of a metal sided building with traditional construction methods and materials to make a comfortable home.<\/p>\n

\"\"
NuEcoSystems Barndominium Kit Construction<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

One way Barndominiums save money is by building on a slab. A slab foundation is a lot less expensive than building a foundation with a crawlspace. A basement costs even more. But there are a lot of drawbacks. It is a lot harder and more expensive to make repairs to plumbing or power that is encased in concrete. A slab floor can stay really cold. And if you are in an area with radon, mitigation may be more complicated.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Barndominium Plans and Instruction Books<\/strong>
Barndominiums: Maximize Design Efficiency for Open-Concept Living: A Step-by-Step Guide for Crafting Your Sustainable Dream Home Despite Budget Concerns and Transform Your Vision Into Reality! by M.R. Boss on Amazon<\/a>
Barndominium Floor Plans and Designs: Design and Build Your Dream Barndominium \u2014 An Extensive Collection of Visual Designs and Practical Floor Plans for Modern Rural Living by Stephen Miller on Amazon<\/a>
Building Your Barndominium: A Comprehensive Guide to DIY Barn Home Building, Creating Rural Living Home Designs and Unique Barndo Spaces on Any Budget by BarnDream Builders on Amazon<\/a>
Barndominiums: Your Guide to a Perfect, Inexpensive Dream Home by Chris Peterson on Amazon<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

You can buy plans to build a Barndominium from locally sourced materials you buy yourself. Other plans help you convert a metal building into a Barndominium home. There are also a lot of books talking you through the process.<\/p>\n

Barndominium Plans and Books<\/strong> on Amazon<\/a><\/p>\n

You can buy Barndominium shell kits with just the materials for the outside. Then finish the inside the way you want. Or you can buy complete kits, with everything you need.<\/p>\n

Earlier Barndominiums<\/h2>\n

The word Barndominium changed meaning A LOT. The first Barndominiums were not barns at all.<\/p>\n

The word Barndominium was coined from condominium<\/em> and barn<\/em>.\u00a0 With a condominium, you own a unit, like an apartment. The building belongs to all of the owners in common. Many condos come with amenities like, swimming pools, tennis courts, workout rooms and event space. Every owner pays a condo association fee to pay for it. They share the cost of the amenities.<\/p>\n

Barndominiums were more about sharing the costs, not about living in a barn.<\/p>\n

They word first showed up referring to equestrian subdivisions. A 1989 article in The New York Times, talked about them. Silhouette Farm \u201cBarndominiums\u201d are regular houses, but with the home comes an interest in an equestrian center. Like the amenities that are included with a condominium. The developer compares the equestrian subdivision to a golf community, except instead of being built around a golf course, the homes are built around barns, stalls, bridle paths, trails and riding rings. The equestrian center sells the lot and stall condo-ish, without a house, too.<\/p>\n

\"\"
At \u2018Barndominiums,\u2019 Home Is Where the Horse Is
The New York Times, Sept. 10, 1989, Section CN, Page 12<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Charlotte Libov reported that developer Karl Nilsen invented the word \u201dbarndominium\u201d for the purchase of a lot and horse stall together.<\/p>\n

At Silhouette Farm, owners will also have an interest in an equestrian center under construction. Houses will cost from $300,000 to $500,000 with an estimated $300 per month extra for horse care. Without the house, a lot and stall will sell for $160,000, he said\u2026<\/p>\n

Riverwind in Madison is to be a six-lot equestrian community: every house will come with a barn and 12 acres of common ground will be set aside for riding\u2026 \u201dEach house will have a stable and pasture,\u201d he said. \u201dIt\u2019s an extremely imaginative idea.\u201d<\/p>\n

At \u2018Barndominiums,\u2019 Home Is Where the Horse Is<\/strong>
\nThe New York Times, Sept. 10, 1989<\/a>
\nSept. 10, 1989, Section CN, Page 12<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Featured image Barndominium Construction from Steel Commander Corp<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sometimes you can find a deal on eBay where someone has bought a house kit and then their plans changed. Right now there is a 2400 square foot Barndominium kit that will probably be a good deal for someone. The kit is sitting on a …<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":14961,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[85,1,66,34],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-14965","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-adus","category-research","category-small-house-kits","category-tiny-houses"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/featured-barndominium.jpg?fit=810%2C431&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":6460,"url":"https:\/\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/2019\/04\/build-this-kit-house-in-3-hours\/","url_meta":{"origin":14965,"position":0},"title":"Build This Kit House in 3 Hours","author":"Carla","date":"April 3, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"This is another origami house you can buy complete and set up anywhere, the Weizhengheng 2 or 3-bedroom Expandable Home. \u00a0They call it a container house. This isn\u2019t a house made from a shipping container. It is a partially assembled house kit that is delivered in a shipping container. 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They weren't available in our area then, but they are now. The Bangalow Kit from Imagine Kit Homes in Australia is now available through our local Home Depot. Imagine Kit Homes says you can \u201cbuild your own\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "House Plans"","block_context":{"text":"House Plans","link":"https:\/\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/category\/house-plans\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Bangalow Imagine Kit Home","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/featured-imagin-bangalow.jpg?fit=810%2C431&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/featured-imagin-bangalow.jpg?fit=810%2C431&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/featured-imagin-bangalow.jpg?fit=810%2C431&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/featured-imagin-bangalow.jpg?fit=810%2C431&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":10021,"url":"https:\/\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/2021\/11\/what-does-the-home-depot-bangalow-imagine-home-kit\/","url_meta":{"origin":14965,"position":2},"title":"What Does the Home Depot Bangalow Imagine Home Kit Include?","author":"Carla","date":"November 16, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Australia's Imagine Kit Homes are now made in America and sold at Home Depot. The kits in Australia are available quite complete. The kits available here are not. What do you get in the kit? The kit is actually a frame kit with directions. This is what you get, the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "House Plans"","block_context":{"text":"House Plans","link":"https:\/\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/category\/house-plans\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/featured-imagin-bangalow-b.jpg?fit=810%2C431&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/featured-imagin-bangalow-b.jpg?fit=810%2C431&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/featured-imagin-bangalow-b.jpg?fit=810%2C431&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/featured-imagin-bangalow-b.jpg?fit=810%2C431&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":15872,"url":"https:\/\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/2025\/03\/landmark-panelized-house-kits\/","url_meta":{"origin":14965,"position":3},"title":"Landmark Panelized House Kits","author":"Carla","date":"March 11, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"House Kits can be a more economical way to build a home. You know up front what the materials are going to cost and they can cost less because the company assembling the kit buys in bulk. A panelized house building kit lowers your framing cost because wall, floor, and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Small House Kits"","block_context":{"text":"Small House Kits","link":"https:\/\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/category\/small-house-kits\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/featured-landmark.jpg?fit=810%2C431&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/featured-landmark.jpg?fit=810%2C431&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/featured-landmark.jpg?fit=810%2C431&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/featured-landmark.jpg?fit=810%2C431&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3790,"url":"https:\/\/www.projectsmallhouse.com\/blog\/2018\/06\/allwood-pioneer-tiny-towable-kit\/","url_meta":{"origin":14965,"position":4},"title":"Allwood Pioneer Tiny Towable Kit","author":"Carla","date":"June 28, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Allwood, the company that brought us the Lillevilla, one of the best-selling kit cabin brands in the world now has a do-it-yourself Tiny Towable Kit. 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